MANLOVE FANTASIES: GYPSY'S WOLF

Making a change with writing. 

I'm proud to have been a part of this project and get the opportunity to write with so many talented and awesome authors. As said bellow all the proceeds from this project is going to a charity for homeless young LGBT people. It's a paranormal MM romance that has brought together 25 authors, each writing a chapter of this fantastic story. Hopefully together, we're making a change!So spread the love, will ya?



MANLOVE FANTASIES: GYPSY'S WOLF:

GYPSY'S WOLF

ONE STORY, 25 AUTHORS, INFINITE POSSIBILITIES…

25 of Siren Publishing’s hottest ManLove authors have come together to bring you a  paranormal story with intrigue, wolf shifters, elves, magic, and a mating so sizzling hot, it took 25 authors just to write it.



Such a fantastic undertaking needs a spectacular ending. As such, everyone involved in this endeavor has agreed to donate 100% of the proceeds from this book. The charities we are focusing on tackle homelessness in young LGBTQ people. It is estimated that there are at least 320,000 gay teens living on the streets of America today, many cast out by their families simply for who they are. So please join us in supporting a great cause.

This project was brought to you by…

ManLove Fantasies Authors

Stormy Glenn, Lynn Hagen, Jess Buffett, Alex Carreras, Olivia Black, Leah Blake, Cree Storm, Evelise Archer, E. A. Reynolds, Aeryn Jaden, Jane Wallace-Knight, Amara Lebel, Jordan Ashton, Berengaria Brown, Skye Michaels, Sydney Lain, Rennie Leigh, Frey Ortega, Bellann Summer, Andrew Jericho, Felicia Fern, Grace Ryles, Hennessee Andrews, Shea Balik, and Lyssa Samuels

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Editors

Pat Fischer & Lyssa Samuels

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Cover Artist

Jess Buffett

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 We would like to thank Siren Publishing for all their help on this project!

 ~

GYPSY’S WOLF

Available Now!

Quad McDaniel’s life changed forever the night he was attacked by a wolf. Now, he turns furry every full moon. Avoiding red meat and anything that makes him aggressive is his prime goal in life. But when his convertible breaks down in some Podunk town, becoming the beast within is no longer a choice. It’s instinctive.

Gypsy Govanivinch just wants to live a quiet life in Trinity Valley, running his roadhouse tavern. He doesn’t need an overly aggressive shifter coming into his town and messing with his peaceful little world, no matter how gorgeous the man looked.

Life never asked Quad or Gypsy what they wanted. It simply gave them what they needed, whether they agreed or not. Fate brought them together but it’s up to Quad and Gypsy to stay alive long enough to appreciate what they’ve been given. And when others work to prevent that, fighting together might be the only chance they have of surviving.



http://www.bookstrand.com/gypsys-wolf

“Why Do People Murder?”

by JoAnne Myers

 

 

I have always been fascinated with psychotic behavior. I often wonder why some people murder. Out of my 7 published books, and the 8^th being a WIP, “Twisted Love” 12 cases of love gone bad, and “The Crime of the Century” concern actual homicide cases. From reading newspapers, watching television news reports, watching crime shows on television, and discussing the subject of murder with various individuals, I have discovered that killers murder for a variety of reasons. I myself could only kill out of self-defense.

However, I have at times been so angry with an individual that I fantasized about beating their face to a pulp, but I calmed down and dismissed the idea. In “The Crime of the Century”, the murders happened for 2 reasons, lust and convenience.

There are many reasons a person would commit unlawful murder; lust, greed, jealousy, revenge, rage, thrill seeking, and etc. There are also many categories for murder. In my crime novels, the killer or killers justified their actions in senseless and self-absorbed ways. The outcome for all homicide victims, and their loved ones left behind, consists of a lifetime of pain, and an endless sense of loss.

Here is an explanation of the homicide categories within the stories in “Twisted Love” 12 cases of love gone bad.

The End of Autumn-This murder fits into The Obsessive category-Violence because: “if I can’t have her, nobody can.” ... or: “if she won’t have me, she won’t have anything.”
Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing-Hedonistic/Comfort (profit) Killer category-Serial killing for monetary gain became the focus of this story.
A Senseless Killing-The Just Plain Bad & Angry category-A combination of angry, hostile, jealous, resentful, and disturbed individuals, who are socially isolated, socially inadequate, and who feel worthless.

The Death of Innocence-The Over-Controlled Hostility Type category-Anger builds up like in a pressure cooker, before they explode.

Girl Not Forgotten-Approach/Explicit category-This type of killer is a planner and actively seeks victims, while taking careful steps to avoid getting caught.

The Possession-The Hurt and Resentful category-Violence occurs because they hold grudges or seek revenge.

Home Town Hero-Hedonistic/Comfort (profit) Killer category-Serial killing for monetary gain became the focus of this story.

Horrible Sin-The Hurt and Resentful category-Violence occurs because they hold grudges.

All For the Family-This couple’s greed for monetary gain and new identities turned ghoulish.

Thicker Than Water?-The Just Plain Bad & Angry category-A combination of angry, hostile, jealous, resentful, and disturbed individuals, who are socially isolated, socially inadequate, and who feel worthless.

Mail Order Murder-The Paranoid Obsessive category-Violence can lead to murder within this category because the killer becomes delusional. Distrusts his partner even when partner is innocent.

Where’s Christopher?- Chronically Aggressive category-These individuals take pleasure in inflicting pain to others, and see violence and aggressiveness as power.
Author Bio:
JoAnne Myers is from Ohio. She is a published author of 7 books, and canvas paints. JoAnne enjoys spending time with relatives, and volunteering her time within the community. JoAnne is a member of several writing groups. She believes in family values and following your dreams. JoAnne’s original canvas paintings, can be found at: booksandpaintingsbyjoanne.com

Buy Link to “Twisted Love"
http://www.blackrosewriting.com/other/twisted-love  Contact JoAnne:
 
Email: joannemyers@frontier.com JoAnne's Blogs:

Books and Paintings by JoAnne Blog: http://www.booksandpaintingsbyjoanne.com/page29

Jo Anne’s WordPress Blog:
http://joannemyerswordpressblog.wordpress.com/

Jo Anne’s Postings: https://joannemyers.wordpress.com/

#Review - Shift Happens, Carus Series, J.C. McKenzie from Barbara Edwards

Review Shift Happens, Carus Series, J.C. McKenzie

Shift Happens begins with a murder. Not a normal murder, but an assassination by Andrea, a shape-shifter working for a government agency. Only he’s not dead, she’s not your usual shifter and the government is hunting her, not giving her assignments. From there it gets better.

Andrea, or Andy as she insists she be called, is a different kind of shifter who lives in a time when paranormal forms are out in the open. J.C. McKenzie has made changes to the usual shape-sifter, werewolf, vampire, witch and even demons from the accepted stereotypes. Enough to increase the tension, but not enough to jar me from the increasingly twisted plot.

Andy is battling hurtful memories that keep her from trusting the werewolf Wick who lures her to be his mate. I liked the uncertainty in their building attraction. In fact I liked all the characters from the well-portrayed hero to the multiple villains. 

With help from Wick, she works to unravel why she is targeted to take the fall for the attempted murder, what is Carus and her longing to mate. She must also protect her shifter secrets as she battles with changing enemies. 

The story ended too soon for me. I want more and am looking forward to the next in the series.
I rated it five dragons.

Amazon: http://www.amzn.com/B00J9OB1I8

All Romance: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-shifthappens-1570897-143.html

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shift-happens-j-c-mckenzie/1119955961?ean=2940149823383

Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/shift-happens

Chapters - Indigo: http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/shift-happens/9781628302592-item.html?ikwid=shift+happens&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=2

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/J_C_McKenzie_Shift_Happens?id=qgEKBAAAQBAJ

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/shift-happens/id896810057?mt=11

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/ebook/shift-happens-3

Wild Rose Press: http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=1154

#Review of A Red, Red Rose by Susan Coryell from Barbara Edwards

Susan Coryell’s A Red, Red Rose quickly drew me into the slightly gothic atmosphere of a Southern mansion with a ghost and a hidden history. Ashby, a modern girl, misses her cell phone and internet access as she takes on caring for her nephew for the summer at the family home she’s never visited. The explanations for the estrangement increase the suspense page by page just as the romance between Ashby and Luke grows stronger.

Ashby is intrigued by the family secrets and the ghostly spirit that seems to be protecting her. despite the reluctance of everyone to share what they know, Ashby persists. The revelation result in a violent and surprising end.

I really enjoyed reading A Red, Red Rose and will be looking for the next story by Susan.

buy link for A Red, Red Rose by Susan Coryell

Link: http://amzn.com/B00GVKMG0K

5 dragons

A short biography of Susan Coryell:

A career educator, I have taught students from 7^th grade through college-level. I have a BA degree in English from Carson-Newman College and a Masters from George Mason University. I am listed in several different volumes of Who’s Who in Education and Who’s Who in Teaching.  I belong to Author’s Guild, Virginia Writers, and Lake Writers. I love to talk with budding writers at schools, writers’ conferences and workshops.

I have long been interested in Southern concerns about culture and society, as hard-felt, long-held feelings battle with modern ideas. The ghosts slipped in, to my surprise, while writing cozy mystery/Southern Gothic A Red, Red Rose and its sequel Beneath the Stones. 

My first published work was the award-winning young adult novel Eaglebait. I live at Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia.

When not writing, I enjoy boating, kayaking, golf and yoga. My husband and I love to travel, especially when any of our seven grandchildren are involved.

Excerpt: 

Please visit my website: www.susancoryellauthor.com and my blog: www.susancoryellauthor.blogspot.com. I am on Facebook and Twitter: @scoryellauthor. 

Reviews of Marie Dry's Alien Books

South African romance writer, Marie Dry, has written two paranormal romances with alien warriors set in a dystopian future! I loved reading them so much that I've chosen to review them both on the same blog post.

About Marie:

Ever since she can remember, Marie Dry wanted to travel. She's had the privilege of living in Zambia, Morocco, and Spain and sees herself as a bit of a gypsy. Every few years she gets restless and has to be some place new. All her life she has read romances and was fairly young when she decided she would write the perfect story that had all the elements she looked for in a romance. In 1997 she shared a pizza with a friend. She promised her friend to go all out with her writing and get published. With her friends cheering her on ever since, Marie found it a wonderful experience to see the characters in her head coming to life on the page. Being published by Black Opal Books is a dream come true for her.

Find Marie's website here.

Alien Mine – Book 1 of the Zyrgin Warrior Series

Blurb:

In a bleak future where government systems are breaking down and lawless bands of men terrorize the country, botanist Natalie Hanson fears for her life and hides in a cave in the Rocky Mountains. When she is captured by human raiders, a fierce alien appears and slays her attackers. Natalie is now held captive in her own cave by the sexy and striking alien commander, Zacar, who informs her that she will be his breeder. Natalie soon realizes that these aliens worship strength. So what will happen when Zacar finds out she has severe asthma?

My Review:

I found Marie’s dystopian science fiction such an interesting book. It was well-written, honest, gripping - it really ticks all the boxes. And it’s not boring or formulaic - there are many surprises and suspenses threaded throughout. I don’t normally go for science fiction as it can get very technical, but I enjoyed this one so much as I found the relationship between Natalie and her captor “captivating.” At first, I was repelled reading about a green alien with leather-tough skin, but soon he became quite the character and a great hero. He has many super-powers and great courage!

How fascinating reading a romance between a human and a warrior alien. The author took us into her futurist and rather bleak world and made this alien man and his friends seem so real. Her world building is realistic yet otherworldly and sufficiently detailed so as not to give an info dump but rather create interest and give a well-rounded feel of the times. Zacar, the alien hero, seemed so gruff and heartless, but there was always the underlying feel that the heroine misunderstood his culture. So, I knew that he was good deep inside. I was taken into a new world, new culture and fascinating story thread without scrimping on the romantic elements.

Buy Links for Alien Mine:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Kobo

All Romance Ebooks

Black Opal Books

Alien Under Cover – Book 2 of the Zyrgin Warrior Series

Blurb:

In a bleak and apocalyptic future, Julia Benzoni flees the violence-saturated world of her mafia family to build a peaceful life in a No Name Town, Montana. Now, while civilization disintegrates into anarchy around her and evil men prey on the innocent, she’s pursued by an alien, whose warrior life thrusts her back into the world where might makes right and violence is the order of the day. Torn, she now has to choose between her need to distance herself from war and violence and the alien warrior who holds her heart.

My Review:

I’ve read the first in the series and loved it and now this one - well, it’s even better! I adored the characters in this book, the chemistry between them and their complex natures. For an alien, Zurian was kind and good. But the aliens in the complex, wonderful world that Marie has created aren’t soft. They’re tough externally and internally and rather intimidating. There are times when you think they pass over the boundaries of how a man should treat a woman but in the dystopian world that the humans are living in, they’re a godsend. And any women in that time would probably fall for them. They make a woman feel safe.

I loved this story and didn’t want it to end. It took me into an alternative world, well-thought out and so vast with so many possibilities for adventures. There was plenty of suspense – even more than the first one, humour and romance, sprinkled with great love scenes that were hot and romantic. It was hard to put down! The sparring between the characters made me laugh and I really liked the heroine. I can’t wait to read the next one.

Buy Links for Alien Under Cover:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Kobo

All Romance Ebooks

Black Opal Books

Giveaway

Marie is very kindly having a giveaway. She's offering two copies of each book. So, comment away on this blog post and you have a chance to win a copy of one of her books. Please don't forget to put your email address in the comment else she won't be able to gift you.

Waking Up Dead, by Margo Bond Collins ~ $.99 Ebook Sale

 

She expected heaven or hell. She got Alabama.

When Dallas resident Callie Taylor died young, she expected to go to heaven, or maybe hell. Instead, when she met her fate early thanks to a creep with a knife and a mommy complex, she went to Alabama. Now she's witnessed another murder, and she's not about to let this one go. She's determined to help solve it before an innocent man goes to prison. And to answer the biggest question of all: why the hell did she wake up dead in Alabama? _____________________________________________

Excerpt

When I died, I expected to go to heaven.

Okay. Maybe hell. It’s not like I was perfect or anything. But I was sort of hoping for heaven.

Instead, I went to Alabama.

Yeah. I know. It’s weird.

I died in Dallas, my hometown. I was killed, actually. Murdered. I’ll spare you the gruesome details. I don’t like to remember them myself. Some jerk with a knife--and probably a Bad-Mommy complex. Believe me, if I knew where he was, I’d go haunt his ass.

At any rate, by the time death came, I was ready for it--ready to stop hurting, ready to let go. I didn’t even fight it.

And then I woke up dead in Alabama. Talk about pissed off.

You know, even reincarnation would have been fine with me--I could have started over, clean slate and all that. Human, cow, bug. Whatever. But no. I ended up haunting someplace I’d never even been.

That’s not the way it’s supposed to work, right? Ghosts are supposed to be the tortured spirits of those who cannot let go of their earthly existence. If they could be convinced to follow the light, they’d leave behind said earthly existence and quit scaring the bejesus out of the poor folks who run across them. That’s what all those “ghost hunter” shows on television tell us.

Let me tell you something. The living don’t know jack about the dead.

Not this dead chick, anyway.

_____________________________________________

 

Buy Waking Up Dead for 99 cents in ebook through April 21:

Kindle from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Waking-Dead-Margo-Bond-Collins-ebook/dp/B00HKQQRJA/


Paperback from these booksellers:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Waking-Dead-Margo-Bond-Collins/dp/1493750461/
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/waking-up-dead-margo-bond-collins/1117526839?ean=9781493750467
Books A Million: http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Waking-Up-Dead/Margo-Bond-Collins/9781493750467?id=5868658257083
Book Depository: http://www.bookdepository.com/Waking-Up-Dead-Margo-Bond-Collins/9781493750467

_____________________________________________

About the Author

Margo Bond Collins is the author of a number of novels, including Sanguinary, Waking Up Dead, Taming the Country Star, Bound by Blood, Legally Undead, and Fairy, Texas. She lives in Texas with her daughter and several spoiled pets. She teaches college-level English courses online, though writing fiction is her first love. She enjoys reading urban fantasy and paranormal fiction of any genre and spends most of her free time daydreaming about vampires, ghosts, zombies, werewolves, and other monsters.

_____________________________________________  

Connect with Margo

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Margo-Collins/e/B00EOU9DEG
Email: MargoBondCollins@gmail.com
Website: http://www.MargoBondCollins.net
Blog: http://www.MargoBondCollins.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MargoBondCollin @MargoBondCollin
Google+: https://plus.google.com/116484555448104519902
Goodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/vampirarchy
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/MargoBondCollins
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/mbondcollins/
Tsu: http://www.tsu.co/MargoBondCollins  

The Pros and Cons of Self-Publishing by JoAnne Myers

The Pros and Cons of Self Publishing-by JoAnne Myers

The best thing about self-publishing is that you are guaranteed to be published, no matter what type book you choose to write. Traditional publishers often look for something not yet written about, or seldom written about; such as true life alien abductions, or what Earth might be like in the year 4000, if humans last that long.

Self-publishing allows the author more leeway with subject matter. The author can tell it like it is; unlike traditional publishers who generally follow a code of conduct, for the fear of treading on someone’s toes. Traditional publishers always have that fear of being sued for libel, whereas self-publishers tend to not care what others think.

With self publishing every detail is up to the author. From hiring a professional editor if the self publishing author is not prolific in the English language. Editing is expensive, and every book, even self publishing needs some editing to help polish the final product. Self-publishing does offer editing and marketing services, but for an additional price, that can be expensive. All that work is taken care of by a traditional publisher, which means less headaches and work for the author.

When it comes to book covers, self-publishing companies usually give the author a selection of artwork to choose from. Some of this artwork is free, but some usually cost a few dollars. The free artwork is seldom great, and might not coincide with the books material. For paid artwork at self-publishing companies, the artwork is upgraded and more pleasing to the eye, but is an extra cost, which might for some self-publishers, mean an extra dent in their pocketbooks. Traditional publishers have their own art department, which means the author is guaranteed a terrific book cover, which is included in the contract. Both self-publishing and traditional publishing companies, though, usually allow the author to use their own artwork if the author chooses too, especially if the book is about the author’s family, pet, friends, or profession. Using personal artwork adds a touch of personification and genuine sincerity to the book; which is always a good selling point.

When it comes to any type of artwork, whether it be books, jewelry, or candles, artwork is usually a hard product to sell. If it were easy, all artists and authors would be wealthy.

With many traditional publishing houses, they get an average of 60% of sales, and the author is left with 40%. I understand Lulu allows 80% of the royalties to go to the author, and Amazon allows 70%, but that percentage is only applicable for books sold to certain countries outside of the U.S., such as Brazil, Japan, Mexico, and India, and only for titles enrolled in KDP Select. This in reality, means that the author receives an average 35% of the sales, and Amazon gets the other 65%.

A author can struggle with locating a traditional publishing company for many reasons. They have written a book that only they are interested in; such as their family history. I don’t believe most would be interested in reading about someone else’s family tree, unless it is as brilliant as the book Roots, was. If a author is struggling with locating a traditional publishing company, than self-publishing is for them. I for one believe that if a writer has written a book, they should continue seeking out the traditional publishing company. This only applies if their book is polished and ready for sale. If a book has many graphical errors, it will not be taken seriously by a traditional publisher. Getting away with graphical errors in a self-published book is possible, but it would be disappointing and frustrating to the reader. Whether the book is self-published or traditionally published, the final product should be free of errors, and entertaining, and pleasing to the eye. In my opinion, when it comes to Lulu versus Amazon, Amazon bites the dust. Good luck.

Find JoAnne and her books here:
Amazon Author Page: http://amazon.com/author/joannemyers

Email: joannemyers@frontier.com

Author Bio:
JoAnne resides in Ohio, and is a cross genre author of 7 books. She belongs to several writing groups and canvas paints. JoAnne’s original canvas paintings, can be found at: http://www.booksandpaintingsbyjoanne.com

Coming Soon- Reviews!!

glitter-graphics.com

We love books so much here at Paranormal Love Wednesdays that we've decided to expand your opportunity to find out about the genre by reviewing books.

Yep that's right, we will be reviewing paranormal romances on our features page and we can hardly wait.  

Naturally we'll still keep our blog hop and regular posts going but on top of that we'll give you a look at some of the best paranormal romances out there with some insight from members on our team.

Our group of reviewers collectively known as the Dragon Ladies will be opening their doors soon to book submissions from published authors within the genre.  

So check back often as we make the final preparation for Paranormal Love Reviews.  

Sincerely,

Paranormal Love Contributors.

Paranormal Romance Heroes- Why Not Angels?

Castiel the angel on CW's Supernatural portrayed by Misha Collins

I never really would have considered reading a paranormal romance featuring angels.  I'm not sure why, I guess it's just that whenever I've seen them portrayed on tv or read them in books, the nature of their characters had left me feeling underwhelmed.

They were either hollow one dimensional people with no growth in their personality or (depending on the use of the tradition) they seemed off the mark as to what an angel was supposed to be.

All that changed of course when I saw the character Castiel on CW's tv show 'Supernatural.'  If I had to describe Cas in one word, it would be- chutzpah.  And he has oodles of it.  In fact he oozes it along with certain amount of unconventional sexiness that somehow manages to keep up with the raw animal appeal of his companions- Sam and Dean Winchester.

Though he's an angel, he's also strong and a natural born leader. Two traits we romance readers love in our alpha males. We find out in the course of his story line that at one time, he was a captain within his garrison of angels that was charged with overseeing a certain section of the world. We learned that he performed his duty with sense of quiet fortitude that had garnered the admiration of many of his peers.  

He also was one of the many angels who laid siege to Hell to rescue Dean Winchester from its clutches.  However out out of all of them, he was the only one able to pull Dean out using such force as to permanently burn a hand print into Dean's shoulder.

In the beginning Castiel did not have much interest in fostering interpersonal relationships especially those towards mankind (at one point stating that he preferred the Neanderthals to Cro Magnons because he liked their poetry). The closest he got to liking anyone or anything was that of admiring the 'beauty of God's creation from afar' however any act done beyond that was done out of obedience to an order from God or one of his angelic superiors.  

Still his emotional detachment changed over time.  He grew to love people, especially his friends the Winchesters, whom he considered to be his family.  From them he also learned about sexual pleasure 

along with romantic love.  Gradually some of his naivete fell away giving room to a willingness to experiment.  So much so, that at one point he even has a dalliance with a demon who admits that he is the one person in the universe that could make her turn to the good side.  

It is pure Castiel.  He is so hot.  Why?  Because is the perfect angel.  He is sweet and innocent, yet versed enough in the ways of the world around him to be a potent secret weapon no one will ever expect. 

Would he make a great alpha male in a romance novel?  Let me answer it this way- Dean Winchester- who is the ultimate alpha male on the show- calls on him when he's in a fix.  So yes, he and others angelic characters could be great protagonists in a paranormal romance. 

So naturally that got me to thinking.  There has got to be some great paranormal romance novels out there featuring angels as the heroes of the story.  It turns out there are.  But for now, I'll mention one: 

Relic by Deena Remiel.  Part of The Brethren Series

Blurb:  

Raphael, a Brethren Savior, an angel with a forgotten past, has lost his power to heal and is on a self-imposed guilt trip to get it back. If he can’t, his tour of eternal duty as Brethren Savior will be revoked. On his journey, he winds up enmeshed in a web of attempted murder and resurrection, all thanks to a woman he’s only seen in a photograph and by chance on an Arizona desert hiking trail.

Serena Sikes is a wanted woman. Desired by “undesirables” for a gift her brother gave her—a stolen relic with suspected healing powers. Hunted down in the Arizona desert and left for dead, she is found by none other than the angel who cannot heal.

Raphael and Serena are inexorably bound together, for locked deep within the relic’s heart had lived the soul of his long lost wife. Now, it resides inside Serena. Evil lurks around every corner as Raphael tries to keep both Serena and his dead wife’s soul alive and lustful temptation at bay.

Three souls bound together by an ancient relic, bound by a timeless gift, and bound by a love that is eternal.

Available now at Amazon

For A Demonstration of Castiel's ability- Watch This Short Clip! 

VISITING PARANORMAL PLACES

I love the paranormal/supernatural in my writing, reading and personal life.  Cue the family vacation.

I'm always dragging, er, surprising them with tours of somewhere 'haunted' where ever we happen to visit.

We've been to Alacatraz twice. When the kids were small we did the day tour. Our second trip to San Fran, they were older so a night tour was in order. The fog and creep factor were high and it was one of the spookiest places we've ever been. Such an interesting history, too.

We've been to the Winchester Mystery House, in San Jose, California. The haunted cemetery tour of New Orleans, a haunted castle in Ireland from the  year 800 AD and rode in the back of hearse for a Spooky Austin, TX Tour.

Our spooky travels are adventurous and we've had plenty. Our most recent excursion was this past November when my husband and I went to London and Paris for our anniversary.

In Paris we went deep underground to the Catacombs and there was something extraordinary about spending time deep under the city with millions of human bones and remains.

Long story, short.
Les Innocents, Paris' oldest and largest cemetery became overcrowded leading to improper burials and corpses rising up from the graves. The citizens complained about the stench and disease spreading.

In 1780, a wall around Les Innocents collapsed after an unusually rainy spring, spilling the rotten corpses all over. It was then action was finally taken.

The church blessed and consecrated all the bones and transferred them to a network of tunnels already under the city. It took two years to move all the remains and for the next few decades other cemeteries had their remains removed and relocated to the Catacombs.

These are my personal pictures so I apologize for the darkness.

             Staircase:

You have to walk down 83 small, steep and narrow spiral steps to enter and up 138 of the same to leave.

There are miles and miles of tunnels, it's dark and damp. There's no way out but up the exiting staircase, there are no restrooms and only so many people are allowed down there at one time. You're literally trapped until you can make
it to the exiting staircase.

A picture of the tunnel that gets you to the final resting place of many Parisians, including those who lost their lives in the French  Revolution.

Most of the bones are stacked along the walls with the skulls on top. The workers seemed to take care in stacking them, some even got a little creative.

My husband wasn't as excited to be down there as I was!

Some people thought it creepy and morbid and couldn't wait to leave. I thought it was quite peaceful and wished I could stay longer. I felt these poor souls finally had a home, visitors,
some one to care for them (the Catacombs is considered a Paris Museum) and will no longer be disturbed.

They keep you on a certain path of tunnels, although it would be easy to wonder off and search on your own, and people have. Many of them have gotten lost and died.

It's said to be haunted. With that many remains and history, I would imagine there would be a ghost or two roaming around with us, but I didn't see any.

It's by far one the coolest places I've been.

***

Debbie Christiana writes paranormal romance, dark romantic fiction and dark short fiction

www.debbiechristiana.com
Twitter: @DebChristiana
FB: Debbie Christiana, Author

Paranormal - Delusion or Sensitivity?

Delusion or Sensitivity? Can anyone really answer that question? 

Is it us or are there hotspots for paranormal activity?

I guess it's a mixture of the two.
For a lot of years I wondered if believing that ghosts and other things that go bump in the night exist made me a good candidate for the loony bin. I mean, more that being a writer does (everyone knows that to be a writer you need to be 1-a bit schizophrenic; 2- a glutton for punishment; 3- 1+2= you're a bit nuts! ). Anyway, add to that the belief that paranormal exists and some more esoteric and eccentric beliefs about how the world really works and I've got on my hands a real explosive combo. I guess the majority of people having different from the norm beliefs know to keep their mouth shut. Mmm, I never learned that skill. I'm glad too, because while I get some weird looks thrown my way when I open my mouth, I noticed something else. There are a lot of us, believers, out there. Most of us either have interesting stories to tell or just are open minded and really logical about it. So, not a delusion if science can be called into it?
To judge that, let start with a interesting definition :



Paranormal
Adj. 1. paranormal - seemingly outside normal sensory channels
extrasensory
paranormal - not in accordance with scientific laws; "what seemed to be paranormal manifestations"
2. paranormal - not in accordance with scientific laws; "what seemed to be paranormal manifestations"
unnatural - not in accordance with or determined by nature; contrary to nature;"
extrasensory, paranormal - seemingly outside normal sensory channels
normal - in accordance with scientific laws


Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

So, is paranormal activity and people that notice it- just a matter of sensitivity? And what is really "normal" nowadays? The scientific laws are not unchangeable, they just portray what we have discovered of the way the world works. I'm sure that humans cannot categorically say that they know it all. We're a relatively young species and just until a couple of centuries ago still believed Earth flat. We're still learning (see Quantum Pseudo-Telepathy, Quantum Teleportation, New state of Matter discovered, Dark Matter and all the weirdness there,  Magnetism and Gravity-those still pose problems for our scientists, etc.)  And if paranormal is just a delusion, is God/any other Supreme Being  even real? Nop. Now comes the real issue. What if we're just kidding ourselves because we want Them and Something More to exist? 

Things is, we don't have a clue. We want to have the certitude that something is or not in a certain way, but we don't.  Even colours are a matter or frequency and energy etc. The only certitude we have? Is that we don't know it all. The rest of what we don't know or cannot explain is lumped in the supernatural/paranormal domain. This is a statement that even the more sceptical human can agree with. What can exist out there? Only our imagination can give us a clue of it all. And it did, more than once. Jules Verne anybody? Star Wars? They did discover a new type of matter that works in the same way as the lightsabers from Star Wars. 

Okay, that's only about the scientific approach on the topic and many more could be said. What about the myths and legends? The ghost and ghouls, demons and angels, vampires and shifters? Magic? Are some people more attuned to a different frequency and can see more than the rest? Is it just a matter of practice and tuning? Maybe we are built with certain stops, thresholds to keep us from overloading or simply loosing our minds with what we can do or what exists here with us.

Do we really see what we See ?

Each day that passes we discover new things about us as a species. We evolve in some ways and diminish in others. Who knows what we once were and what we could do or see? I saw an interesting movie once, I don't remember the name, but the gist was that every complete lunatic (should I use a more political correct term as psychiatric patient here?) was in fact right. They saw things the normals didn't. An interesting perspective, isn't it? Who determines what is normal and what normal means in opposition to paranormal?

It would be probably all be explained at some point in our  future history and we'll discover what makes everything tick. As for paranormal activity with all that entails, existing? I think that everything that we imagine exists somewhere. Be it that our thoughts create them with spun energy or we just receive images of their existence, who can tell? If everything is made of energy, there is no limit.

 Scary, isn't it?

To be continued...

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Aeryn Jaden writes paranormal and contemporary romance. You can find her on Wordpress, Twitter or Facebook.